Women in science, technology and innovation, and stem higher education : a comparative analysis of policies addressing gender issues in India, Portugal and Serbia

Guimarães Duarte, Ana (author), Alves, Natália (author), Tanu, KM (author), Konstantinović, Lana (author), Kuzmanović, Uroš (author), Bogdanović, Vanja (author)

Recognising the imperative in the 21st century for science, technology, and innovation (STI) to support economic growth and prepare citizens for future jobs, while also considering the gender disparities and biases prevalent in these fields, this research aimed to identify the mechanisms for improving female participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in higher education in India, Portugal and Serbia. The study analysed national policies on gender equality using documental deductive analysis structured around categories based on UNESCO’s SAGA Toolkit. Although the three countries have different geopolitical positions – Portugal is a member of the European Union (EU), Serbia is a candidate for EU membership, and India is part of the BRICS economic alliance – the results revealed a principal similarity: none of the documents fully addressed all the categories promoting women in STEM higher education. Based on this finding, there is a need for broader gender mainstreaming in these policies.

• Language: English
• Keywords: gender equality policies, STEM in higher education, gender in STI, women in STEM, policy analysis
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 23-42
• Numbering: Letn. 31, [št.] 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-178351
• UDC: 305
• ISSN on article: 1318-5160
• DOI: 10.4312/as/19861
• COBISS.SI-ID: 235579395
• Publication date in RUL: 23.01.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Andragoška spoznanja
• Shortened title: AS. Andrag. spozn.
• Publisher: Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 1318-5160
• COBISS.SI-ID: 45586176

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: žensko vprašanje, politike enakosti spolov, STEM v visokošolskem izobraževanju, spol in znanost, spol in inovacije, ženske na področjih STEM, analiza politike